********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
* *
* *
** **
**** ****
********
,,,,,,,,,: SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ AND A GIFT SHOP. @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,:~†*@# #@*†~:,,,,
,,,:~†*@## THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ##@*†~:,,,
,,:~†*@### MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ###@*†~:,,
,:~†*@#### CONSIDERED POOR. ####@*†~:,
,,:~†*@### ###@*†~:,,
,,,:~†*@## THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ##@*†~:,,,
,,,,:~†*@# DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN #@*†~:,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,:~†*@# #@*†~:,,,,
,,,:~†*@## ** ##@*†~:,,,
,,:~†*@### ** ** ###@*†~:,,
,:~†*@#### ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ####@*†~:,
,,:~†*@### ** ** ###@*†~:,,
,,,:~†*@## ** ##@*†~:,,,
,,,,:~†*@# #@*†~:,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,:~†*@# INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE #@*†~:,,,,
,,,:~†*@## IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ##@*†~:,,,
,,:~†*@### WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ###@*†~:,,
,:~†*@#### OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ####@*†~:,
,,:~†*@### ###@*†~:,,
,,,:~†*@## THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ##@*†~:,,,
,,,,:~†*@# HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT #@*†~:,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,:~†*@# AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE #@*†~:,,,,
,,,:~†*@## OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ##@*†~:,,,
,,:~†*@### ###@*†~:,,
,:~†*@#### ** ####@*†~:,
,,:~†*@### ** ** ###@*†~:,,
,,,:~†*@## ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ##@*†~:,,,
,,,,:~†*@# ** ** #@*†~:,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ ** @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,:~†*@# THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE #@*†~:,,,,
,,,:~†*@## THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ##@*†~:,,,
,,:~†*@### A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ###@*†~:,,
,:~†*@#### SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ####@*†~:,
,,:~†*@### HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ###@*†~:,,
,,,:~†*@## SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ##@*†~:,,,
,,,,:~†*@# THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. #@*†~:,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,:~†*@# FLOOR. #@*†~:,,,,
,,,:~†*@## ##@*†~:,,,
,,:~†*@### HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ###@*†~:,,
,:~†*@#### KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ####@*†~:,
,,:~†*@### LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ###@*†~:,,
,,,:~†*@## WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ##@*†~:,,,
,,,,:~†*@# PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF #@*†~:,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ BECOME STILL. ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* ** *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ ** ** @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,:~†*@# ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ #@*†~:,,,,
,,,:~†*@## ** ** ##@*†~:,,,
,,:~†*@### ** ###@*†~:,,
,:~†*@#### ####@*†~:,
,,:~†*@### A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ###@*†~:,,
,,,:~†*@## AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ##@*†~:,,,
,,,,:~†*@# BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE #@*†~:,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, @*†~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~† THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? †~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~†* *†~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~†*@ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. @*†~:,,,,,
**
** **
* *
** **
**